IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Card
Describe an argument between two of your friends.
You should say:
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When it happened
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What it was about
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How it was resolved
And explain how you felt about it
1. Speaking Expressions
A. When it happened
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It was back in… (Vào khoảng…)
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One afternoon last year… (Một buổi chiều năm ngoái…)
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Just after… (Ngay sau khi…)
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During… (Trong lúc…)
B. What it was about
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They got into a heated debate over… (Họ tranh cãi nảy lửa về…)
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It stemmed from… (Nó bắt nguồn từ…)
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They couldn’t see eye to eye on… (Họ không đồng quan điểm về…)
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One accused the other of… (Một người buộc tội người kia về…)
C. How it was resolved
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Eventually they patched things up by… (Cuối cùng họ làm lành bằng cách…)
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A mutual friend intervened… (Một người bạn chung đã can thiệp…)
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They sat down and hashed it out… (Họ ngồi lại và giải quyết cặn kẽ…)
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They agreed to disagree and moved on. (Họ đồng ý rằng có khác biệt và bỏ qua.)
D. How you felt
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I felt caught in the middle… (Tôi cảm thấy bị kẹt giữa…)
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It made me uncomfortable… (Nó khiến tôi không thoải mái…)
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I was relieved when… (Tôi thở phào khi…)
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It taught me about… (Nó dạy tôi về…)
2. Ideas & Collocations
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Heated disagreement (tranh cãi nảy lửa)
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Miscommunication (hiểu lầm)
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Escalate into shouting (leo thang thành la hét)
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Step in as mediator (đóng vai trò hòa giải)
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Clear the air (giải tỏa hiểu lầm)
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Bury the hatchet (làm lành)
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Smooth things over (hàn gắn mối quan hệ)
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Cold war period (thời gian giận dỗi không nói chuyện)
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Restore harmony (khôi phục hòa khí)
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Tension dissolved (căng thẳng được hóa giải)
3. Sample Answer
It was back in October last year, during our weekly board‑game night at An’s apartment, that two of my friends got into a heated disagreement. The argument started when Huy accused Linh of cheating during a round of Monopoly by hiding extra cash under the board. Linh was quick to defend herself, insisting it was a misunderstanding—she claimed she had simply miscounted her money.
At first, it was just a bit of teasing, but the situation escalated into shouting as voices rose. Huy felt betrayed because he thought everyone played fairly, and Linh felt attacked and unfairly blamed. The room fell silent as other friends watched them go back and forth, unable to see eye to eye on the accusation. I remember feeling caught in the middle, since I had witnessed Linh count her money properly at the start, but I wasn’t sure whether to speak up.
After a few tense minutes, our mutual friend Mai stepped in as mediator. She suggested we pause the game and have each side explain calmly. Huy walked us through his perspective—he noticed Linh’s stack of bills looked thicker than when the turn began. Then Linh recounted her own view, pointing out she had bought houses and paid fines, which Huy might have overlooked. As they cleared the air, they realized it was simply a mistake in tracking transactions, not a deliberate cheat.
To smooth things over, Mai proposed we simply reset the game to the previous checkpoint. Everyone agreed, and the game resumed with tension dissolved. Linh and Huy even exchanged a brief apology—they buried the hatchet by laughing about how seriously they’d taken a board game.
Reflecting on that night, I felt relieved when harmony was restored and our fun evening could continue. It taught me about the importance of communication and not jumping to conclusions. Watching them resolve the conflict also showed me how quickly misunderstandings can escalate—and how crucial it is to have someone willing to mediate. Afterward, Huy joked that he’d bring a calculator next time, and Linh teased him about keeping an eye on the bank manager. We all laughed, and the argument became one more shared story rather than a lingering grudge.
IELTS Speaking Part 3
1. Do you think arguments are important? Why or why not?
Expressions
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Arguments can be constructive… (Tranh cãi có thể mang tính xây dựng…)
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They surface underlying issues… (Chúng phơi bày vấn đề tiềm ẩn…)
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Handled poorly, they cause rifts… (Xử lý kém, chúng gây chia rẽ…)
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But resolved well, they strengthen bonds. (Nhưng giải quyết tốt, chúng củng cố mối quan hệ.)
Sample Answer:
Arguments can be constructive when they surface underlying issues and lead to mutual understanding. Handled poorly, they can leave lasting rifts, but when people listen and compromise, disagreements can actually strengthen bonds and foster trust.
2. What do family members usually argue about?
Expressions
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Common triggers include… (Nguyên nhân phổ biến gồm…)
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Day‑to‑day chores (việc nhà hàng ngày)
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Financial matters (vấn đề tài chính)
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Parenting styles (cách nuôi dạy con)
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Privacy and boundaries (quyền riêng tư và ranh giới)
Sample Answer:
Common triggers include who does the day‑to‑day chores, how to manage the family budget, and differences in parenting styles. Teenagers and parents often clash over privacy and boundaries, leading to heated exchanges at home.
3. Is it easier to have arguments with family or with friends?
Expressions
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Family disputes run deeper… (Các tranh chấp gia đình sâu sắc hơn…)
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Friends can walk away easily… (Bạn bè có thể rời đi dễ dàng…)
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Emotional stakes are higher with family… (Cảm xúc gắn kết với gia đình cao hơn…)
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Friends share common interests, reducing friction. (Bạn bè có chung sở thích, giảm ma sát.)
Sample Answer:
Family disputes run deeper because the emotional stakes are higher and relationships are long‑term. With friends, it’s often easier to agree to disagree or simply take a break from each other. However, friends share common interests, which can help prevent conflicts from becoming too personal.
4. Should people change their opinions when involved in arguments?
Expressions
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They should be open to… (Họ nên cởi mở với…)
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Stubbornness hinders resolution… (Cứng đầu cản trở giải quyết…)
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Healthy debates can shift perspectives… (Tranh luận lành mạnh có thể mở rộng quan điểm…)
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But core values need not be compromised. (Nhưng giá trị cốt lõi không nên bị ảnh hưởng.)
Sample Answer:
They should be open to new information, because logical arguments can shift perspectives. Stubbornness hinders resolution, but healthy debates help people refine their views. At the same time, core values need not be compromised—it’s about finding common ground without losing one’s principles.